(𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄)

"Mi amour," my mom calls from the end of the halls causing me to come to a halt.

"Yes?" I ask, slowly turning around to meet her gaze.

She walks up to me, placing a small smile on her face, "I heard your performance was amazing,"

"It was only a one-time thing," I say.

I wasn't completely sure of that statement. The feeling I experienced in the bar was nothing compared to when I had performed before. I didn't know if it was because of the intense eye contact with Olivia or the fact that I was singing.

She shakes her head, "You have a talent, I don't expect you to not use it,"

"Yeah well, I live with a control freak and I can't touch a guitar unless I want to be kicked out" I pause, taking a necessary breath, "Which in my opinion are extreme consequences," I say.

She smiles, "You know he can't kick you without me intervening,"

It was true when I had rebelled just enough for him to kick me out—more so try to kick me out, she wouldn't allow it; however, I didn't want to live under the same roof as the man so I said I didn't want to be here anymore.

It pained her heart, but if I had to live up to his standard I would rather die.

I return the smile, "I know,"

"He'll come around soon enough," she mutters.

"He didn't do that for Kate, he still forced her to go to college," I bicker.

"Tristan, you hate your father for your reasons but I think you should cut him some slack," she says.

I knit my brows in confusion, why was she suddenly sticking up for him?

"Come," she says, gesturing for me to follow her into my room, which I do.

She takes a seat on the edge of my bed and wastes no time starting, "When Kate was born, I put her up for adoption,"

"I did that because I was young and scared, I had two boys to take care of and now another one was on the way,"

She looks at me, "I always wanted a daughter, but I had an affair and I got pregnant, I knew it wasn't right, and I felt for your father, I know that seeing her would hurt him so I asked her father to keep her,"

"My heart hurt when she left my arms the few weeks after she was born, I knew I wouldn't see her again, I convinced myself it was the right thing to do,"

Kate is my half-sister.

It takes me a while to comprehend what I had just been told, she had an affair, I want to ask with who but I'm afraid of the answer so I don't.

"You had an affair?" I question, my brows still knitted together in disbelief.

"Did you know he tried to pay her off,"

"I only found out after, I would've never allowed it if I did; I accept Kate as is. And as hard as it is for your dad, he tries his best," she says.

I wasn't sure what to think, I had been forcing him to accept a child which wasn't his, if I was in that position I would've never agreed to it, but even so paying her off? I couldn't just let that slide.

My views on both of my parents were confusing my mind, I wasn't sure what to think, I couldn't possibly just let all the shit he did and does go just because he decided to keep this secret.

It wasn't as if he didn't have any affairs, I saw multiple women leave this house while my mom was away but she knew he was having affairs, I never understood why she never told him anything until now.

"Tristan," she says, tugging me back into reality.

"I need to clear my head," I tell her as I walk out of my room.

My chest ached and my mind was wandering with various thoughts, still, I wasn't mad, I was—overwhelmed, confused even.

I rush down the stairs, grabbing my keys off the hook, I place my fingers around the doorknob and pull the door open as I take a deep breath.

── ·✩· ──

Marriage is a complicated subject; I grew open to the idea after seeing myself in one with Olivia. I seemed to fantasize about a family in a decent size house, a dog and two kids. A boy and a girl. I told myself I'd never be anything like my dad.

I would let my kids be free, give them some air to breathe, and allow them the choice to trust me with stuff that they wouldn't even tell their friends.

But marriages seem to be filled with secrets, and fights, ending in two options, a miserable agreement to continue acting as if you love each other while slowly being someone else's or a divorce.

However as I sit with Olvia's head resting on my chest watching as she reads one of the books Mr Clarke had given us while I rub small circles on her back, I know those options aren't ours.

She was the only place where my thoughts would slow down, I felt at peace around her, even with the silence, her presence calms me in ways I couldn't possibly explain. Once my touch could be on her skin, I feel calm.

"What is with this teacher and giving the most boring and uninteresting books," she groans, removing her thumb from the book and allowing the pages to shut.

She leans forward a bit, placing the book on her desk which causes my hand to drop to her thigh, as she returns to her original position,

"Sorry for coming over so suddenly," I say. I wasn't exactly sorry, I needed to see her.

"I'm glad you came, my dad hasn't shut up about your brownies and he wants you to make some more for dinner," she tells me. "Well for after dinner, brownies wouldn't be ideal for dinner, so you know for dessert,"

I feel a smile forming on my lips and I don't fight it, " You're rambling,"

"Well you're distracting me, with your invasive hands," she mutters, referring to my hand which lay on her bare thigh slowly stroking up and down.

She takes a step down from my lap, placing one of her feet on the floor, but I pull her back before she gets any further. My hands drop to her waist as I lean my head back a bit, pulling her closer to me.

When I look into her eyes, I can see a reflection of the two of us and the life I hope we'll share together. In that instance, I know no one will try harder than I would to truly make her happy.

"I'm yours until the day I die," I mutter.

Her forehead rests on mine and I watch as her eyes close as she takes in my statement.

"I promise, no lies, no secrets, pure trust," I pause. "Real love," I say so low it's not even a whisper, I wonder if she heard it.

My heart is beating dangerously fast. I feel it pounding against my chest and I hear it in my ears. I've never let anyone get so close to me and it scares the absolute shit out of me.

She presses her lips against mine, this time the kiss is slow, the complete opposite of my heart beat but it's exactly what I need.

Her fingers tangle themselves in my hair as she pulls me closer by the grip she has on my shirt. I allow myself to melt as she takes my breath away.

This—This is exactly what I want. A love nothing like my parents. A love where my heart aches when she's not near. A love where I'm scared to lose her. A love where every time I kiss her it's as if it's our last.

A knock on the door pulls us apart, she quickly gets up from my lap and straights her hair a bit before clearing her throat.

"It's open," she says.

The door opens and Grace walks inside with a small book in her hands. She almost drops it when her small eyes meet mine.

She knocks now.

I watch as her little feet run towards me quickly with her small giggles filling the room. I quickly lean down a bit to hold her up before I place her in my lap.

"Turtle," she mutters. Her cute little voice fills my ears and I can't stop the smile that forms on my lips.

I bop her nose with my index finger, "Grape," I say.

"You have to give me infinity bedtime stories," she says and I chuckle a bit at her use of words.

I haven't read a bedtime story to Grace in a long time, since Olivia and I were broken up. I didn't come to visit.

"Of course, I owe you that much," I say.

I look up at Olivia and she's leaning against her desk with her arms crossed and a bright smile on her face, she doesn't realise I'm looking but I can't help but imagine if this might be our future.

── ·✩· ──

𝗼𝗼. ⁞ 𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒!

Surpriseee, it's a Tuesday update!
I was bored and I feel like I haven't posted in a while when I literally did last week. I also love this chapter and alot more after it which I hope you guys enjoy, but that concludes chapter sixty-two. I certainly do hope that you liked it. Chapter sixty-three is coming soon.

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